The Best Oil Filters
Interested in doing your own oil change and confused by all the different oil filters available? Given their cost, oil filters may not seem all that important to your engine’s performance but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Although they’re small and affordable, oil filters play an extremely important role in how your engine performs and its life. A poor quality oil filter could potentially cause damage to your engine and that’s definitely not something you want to experience.
In this article, we’ll take a look at the best oil filters you can buy and why getting a high-quality oil filter is important. Before you click the “add to cart” button on any of these products, make sure you’re getting the right oil filter for your car by checking the vehicle fitment. Oil filters are not universal, so you’ll want to make sure the one you’re purchasing fits your engine.
For more information on the best oil filters, refer to our table of contents.
Table of contents
- 1. Editor's Pick: Bosch Premium Oil Filter
- 2. FRAM Extra Guard Oil Filter
- 3. Mobil 1 Extended Performance Oil Filter
- 4. ACDelco Professional Engine Oil Filter
- 5. PurolatorONE Oil Filter
- 6. K&N Performance Gold Oil Filter
- What Does an Oil Filter Do?
- How do I Choose the Correct Oil Filter?
- Recent Updates:
1. Editor's Pick: Bosch Premium Oil Filter
Bosch is one of the leading parts manufacturers in the automotive industry and the company's oil filters come highly recommended. Our top pick is Bosch's Premium Oil Filter, designed to meet all OEM requirements and works by keeping out harmful particles and dirt to prevent premature wear and engine failure. This filter features an exclusive blend of natural and synthetic materials in the media to provide superior oil filtration and increased engine protection. Bosch says these filters have 99% efficiency and can hold up to 14 grams of dirt and particles.
Along with its premium media blend, these filters have a metal spiral-wound center tube, contributing to durability by improving internal strength. The design of the end caps prevent trapped contaminants from making their way to the engine, while a silicone anti-drain back valve protects your engine against dry starts. There is also a relief valve that prevents oil restriction to ensure proper oil flow. Lastly, an internally lubricated, nitrile sealing gasket boasts long life as it doesn't dry out.
As you can expect from a Bosch product, its oil filters will offer an OE fit, just like the filter that came with your car when it rolled off the assembly line.
The link below will take you to an oil filter that fits various vehicles from Acura, Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, Honda, Infiniti, Nissan, and more. Be sure to select your for fitment prior to purchasing—there are other applications available, so get the right one for your car!
Product features:
- Reputable manufacturer
- Meets all OEM requirements
- Keeps out harmful particles and dirt
- Exclusive blend of natural and synthetic materials in the media provides superior oil filtration and increased engine protection
- Can hold up to 14 grams of dirt and particles
- Metal spiral-would center tube
- Silicone anti-drain back valve
- Internally lubricated nitrile sealing gasket
2. FRAM Extra Guard Oil Filter
If you have ever stepped foot into an automotive parts store or watched television in the last decade, you've likely heard of FRAM. With its iconic orange finish, this company's oil filters are some of the most popular with their balance of price and performance. The FRAM Extra Guard Oil Filter features an ideal mix of dirt-trapping efficiency and dirt-holding capacity thanks to a proprietary filter media. These filters are designed to offer engine protection for up to 5,000 miles and are engineered for use with conventional motor oil. If you're running synthetic oil, FRAM offers a different filter.
To aid with installation and removal is "Sure Grip" coating that gives the filter a non-slip finish. Like most high-quality oil filters, the Extra Guard filter has an internally lubricated sealing gasket and is designed with a precision coil spring featuring a glass fiber reinforced nylon poppet relief valve.
This oil filter is ideal for everyday drivers who regularly do maintenance on their vehicles.
Product features:
- Ideal balance of dirt-trapping efficiency and dirt-holding capacity
- Proprietary filter media
- Protects engine for up to 5,000 miles
- Engineered for use with conventional motor oil
- "Sure Grip" coating makes it easier to install and remove
- Internally lubricated sealing gasket
- Precision coil spring with glass fiber reinforced nylon poppet relief valve
3. Mobil 1 Extended Performance Oil Filter
If you're a fan of Mobil 1 oil, you might as well get a matching oil filter. Our recommendation is Mobil 1's Extended Performance Oil Filter, designed to provide long-life performance for car owners who go longer in between oil changes. It features a 99.6% Multi-Pass Efficiency Rating and an advanced synthetic fiber blend media, and this particular model holds up to 28 grams of contaminants. Mobil 1 says it can withstand 9 times normal system operating pressure, providing protection up to 615 pascals per square inch. A silicone anti-drain back valve helps prevent dry starts by eliminating internal leakage during engine shutdown.
Mobil 1 Extended Performance oil filters can be used with any motor oil.
Product features:
- Provides long-life performance
- 99.6% Multi-Pass Efficiency Rating
- Advanced synthetic fiber blend media
- Holds up to 28 grams of contaminants
- Withstands 9 times normal system operating pressure
- Silicone anti-drain back valve
- Can be used with any motor oil
4. ACDelco Professional Engine Oil Filter
If you've perused any of our other lists of recommended products, you may have noticed ACDelco is a brand we spotlight quite a bit. That's because the company is General Motors' Original Equipment parts brand, offering over 90,000 GM OE and other parts. The ACDelco Gold (formerly known as Professional) Oil Filter is engineered to capture contaminants as small as 30 microns, while using thermal bonding techniques and non-metallic end caps to optimize the overall seal. This process also removes wasted media that is non-functional due to adhesives.
Helping reduce installation torque is a lubricated gasket and the full cover baseplate makes it easy to install in blind applications. According to ACDelco, this filter's nylon core is 1.5 times stronger than filters with metal cores.
Product features:
- GM's OE parts brand
- Captures contaminants as small as 30 microns
- Thermal bonding techniques and non-metallic end caps
- Lubricated gasket
- Full cover baseplate
- Nylon core
5. PurolatorONE Oil Filter
Another popular and well-known brand is Purolator and the PurolatorONE oil filter is a great choice for those who need protection up to 10,000 miles. The PurolatorONE sits in the middle of the company's oil filter lineup and uses a high-density synthetic blend media. Its claim of 99% dirt removal power is based on ISO 4548-12 at 20 microns. Contributing to performance is a double-helix high flow center tube that helps optimize oil flow, while metal end caps provide wear resistance, stability, and integrity. A silicone anti-drain back valve lasts longer than nitrile and protects against dry starts and leaks. The gasket on this filter is PTFE coated for long-lasting performance and easy installation/removal.
The PurolatorONE can be used with any type of motor oil, but if you live somewhere with extreme climate or frequently tow, go with the PurolatorBOSS filter.
Product features:
- Provides up to 10,000 miles of protection
- High-density synthetic blend media
- 99% dirt removal power
- Double-helix high flow center
- Metal end caps
- Silicone anti-drain back valve
- PTFE gasket
- Works with any type of motor oil
6. K&N Performance Gold Oil Filter
The K&N name is synonymous with automotive engine filtration. While best known for their high-performance air filters the company makes a variety of products—including engine oil filters. Their line of premium oil filters is designed especially for extraordinary operating conditions. They can handle higher oil pressures than standard filters and flow more oil too, especially on the race track. K&N's filter media works with synthetic, conventional, or blended oil and traps 95% of contaminants. Anti-backflow valves are fitted as required.
Ease of installation may be the K&N Performance Gold oil filter's best feature. A 1-inch nut is welded to the filter canister so it can be easily removed or installed using a wrench or socket. For added protection, the nut is pre-drilled to accept safety wire assuring the filter can't work loose under even the harshest conditions. There's also no need to dip your finger in the oil and smear it on the seal, K&N's are pre-lubricated.
These premium filters are a little more costly than others. They're designed for racing and extreme off-roading so are probably overkill for most normal applications. But, it's nice to know there's an option like this for those whose driving warrants it.
Product features:
- Easy to install/remove
- High flow capacity
- Heavy-duty construction
- Pre-lubricated seal
- Can withstand high engine oil pressure
- Beefy leaf-type cartridge retaining spring
What Does an Oil Filter Do?
Despite its cost and size, an oil filter is a vital part to keeping your engine run safely, cleanly, and efficiently. Designed to filter your car's oil as it churns through your engine, a filter traps and holds all sorts of contaminants that are produced by your engine while you're driving. It's easy to think that all oil filters are the same, but there are a few reasons why some are better rated than others. High quality oil filters feature finer media that does a better job performing under certain conditions, such as extreme temperatures and stop-and-go driving.
How do I Choose the Correct Oil Filter?
There are plenty of manufacturers these days selling oil filters, so how do you choose the best one for your vehicle? For starters, you'll want to consult your owner's manual to see if there are any recommendations. The most important factor is getting a filter that works with your vehicle, as the wrong filter can cause an oil leak, potentially leading to serious damage to your engine. You'll want to also choose the right filter based on your driving habits. Do you endure lots of stop-and go traffic? Tow or haul often? Make frequent short trips? If you answered "yes" to any of those questions, make sure to get a high quality oil filter to protect your engine.
Another factor to consider is how many miles of protection the filter has to offer. If you go longer in between oil changes, make sure you get a filter that lasts at least those intervals. Along the same lines, make sure the oil filter you're choosing is compatible with the type of oil you're using. Not every oil filter should be used with synthetic motor oil.
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Photo credit: Joe Belanger / Shutterstock.com
Recent Updates:
June 02, 2022: Added K&N Performance Gold oil filter.
Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.
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When I 1st started driving in the 80s I used fram on my second engines, until I saw a cut away at my local NAPA store. Then no more! I prefer Bosch,Wix,Purolator, NAPA, Hastings even higher end STP I Never go past the recommended specs on oil changes. I change my oil at about 3000miles or a bit more.
I don't believe your recommendation, based on the information you've supplied, I've just had my oil changed on a 2014 5.0 @ 4300 Miles the oil look dirty as he'll, where are the micron specs for fram new technology what about oil sample data , they must have tested , fram is out and the list you've supplied is out too.